Federal Grant Award Summary

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Inc. received a $121,406 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (Geosciences program, CFDA 47.050) for collaborative research on time-critical ground-based observations of Earth's geocorona. The award, effective June 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027, supports the development and operation of a distributed network of ground-based observatories across North and South America to complement NASA's Carruthers Geocorona Observatory during its primary science phase. The primary deliverables include coordinated, three-dimensional observational data of Earth's hydrogen exosphere structure and dynamics, particularly focusing on the exosphere's response to geomagnetic storms and its interaction with the magnetosphere during the decline phase of Solar Cycle 25.

The project generates scientific products that advance space weather prediction and understanding of atmosphere-near-space interactions critical to protecting satellites, GPS navigation systems, power grids, and astronauts. Research outputs include peer-reviewed scientific findings on the hydrogen exosphere, openly accessible datasets from the multi-institutional observing network, and contributions to workforce development through student training. By filling observational gaps that space-based instruments cannot address on Earth's nightside, this collaborative effort produces integrated measurements that reveal previously unobservable aspects of exospheric storm-time behavior and planetary atmosphere-space interactions.